Innovation Bootcamp: Shaping Future Leaders for the Digital State
A new generation of digital innovators is emerging in Ukraine — people working at the intersection of public policy, technology, and entrepreneurship, who will play a key role in shaping the digital solutions of the future. To support their development, it is essential to build an environment where government institutions and tech teams can learn from one another and collaborate effectively.
These questions were at the heart of the event “Innovation Bootcamp: Turning Ideas into Effective GovTech Solutions”, hosted by the Global Government Technology Centre (GGTC) Kyiv on 10 December 2025. The event brought together representatives of government, business, educational institutions, and the GovTech ecosystem to explore effective models for developing digital innovators and strengthening cross-sector collaboration.
As Ukraine continues to build a next-generation digital state, this transformation requires not only technology, innovation, and political will, but also a new model of education — practice-oriented, cross-sectoral, and grounded in real public-sector challenges. These approaches shaped the central theme of the discussion.
During the event, the Global Government Technology Centre (GGTC) Kyiv officially introduced the Innovation Bootcamp — a learning and experimental platform within the GovTech Lab Ukraine open innovation programme. Through the Innovation Bootcamp, teams of public servants and startups work together to develop practical digital solutions for the public sector, refining their ideas and preparing them for piloting.
A key part of the event was the panel discussion “Innovative Education 3.0: How Business and Government Can Train the Next Generation of Digital Innovators,” moderated by Ruslana Korenchuk, CEO of Diia.Education, CDTO Campus, and Manager of joint projects of the East Europe Foundation and the Ministry of Digital Transformation of Ukraine..
The discussion brought together leaders from the public sector, business education, and corporate tech companies, including:
- Oksana Matiiash, Head of WINWIN EdTech Center of Excellence,
- Oleksii Shershnov, Vice President, American University in Kyiv (AUK),
- Valentyna Sakhno, Head of KSE Graduate Business School,
- Andrew Kostenko, Business Development Manager, SME Programs, Mastercard in Ukraine and Moldova.
Speakers discussed key challenges in preparing digital innovators, including the growing need for digital leadership that combines technical skills, strategic thinking, and a deep understanding of user needs. The conversation also highlighted the importance of interdisciplinary communication, practice-oriented education, a culture of piloting innovations, and a human-centred approach, as well as organisational culture change as a prerequisite for innovation in the public sector.
The event concluded with short pitches from startup teams selected to participate in the GovTech Lab Ukraine open innovation programme, who presented their ideas of digital solutions for addressing public-sector challenges and shared their expectations for the programme.
Disclaimer:
GovTech Lab Ukraine is an open innovation program in government technology implemented by the Global Government Technology Centre Kyiv (GGTC), in collaboration with the Ministry of Digital Transformation of Ukraine, the World Economic Forum, and with the support of Switzerland within EGAP Program, which is carried out by East Europe Foundation. More information about the GovTech Lab programme can be found at https://www.kyivgovtechcentre.org/govtech-lab.
Innovation Bootcamp is the second stage of the GovTech Lab Ukraine programme, where selected teams work closely with mentors and government representatives to develop practical digital solutions for real public-sector needs — refining their products and preparing them for potential piloting.
The Global Government Technology Centre (GGTC) in Kyiv became the second GovTech centre in the world after Berlin and the 21st Centre for the Fourth Industrial Revolution (C4IR) in the World Economic Forum network. GGTC Kyiv is supported by Switzerland within EGAP Program, which is carried out by East Europe Foundation, and initiated by the Ministry of Digital Transformation of Ukraine and the World Economic Forum.